Pages

Monday, 1 January 2007

Bad parenting: The re-enactment

Here on Baylys Beach, on New Zealand's north island, my husband shows his true, non-law-abiding Kiwi colours by giving the girls a driving lesson - confident in the knowledge that, you know, being six and seven shouldn't preclude one from learning to drive.

In a comfortable fog of jet lag just hours after arriving from Singapore, we drive up and down, up and down this gloriously deserted beach, the girls taking turns behind the wheel and me keeping a wary eye on the rising tide. Later we let them sprawl out in the back with the van door wide open as we take turns at the wheel. Doog's favourite New Zealand singers (Bic Runga and Dave Dobbyn) are cranked to the max and we are blissfully unaware ... until a guy in a Jeep drives right for us, gesturing wildly towards the back of the van.

And there in the rearview mirror, yes indeed, is our Molly sprawled out on her back, spitting chunks of wet sand into the air. We do a quick U-turn. A mouth full of sand and barely a tear - now that's one tough kid. She's even cool enough to re-enact her tumble for this picture, and then we all hastily agree on one thing: Never, under any circumstances, tell Grandma.

About the book

For every North American mom who dares forge her own way - when all around are the suburban ideals of keeping up and conforming - there are a zillion others who will consistently say, “I’d love to do this or that but I can’t because of the kids.”

At its heart, this book is about showing parents, particularly those who yearn to travel, that it’s possible to have their cake and eat it too. Because all evidence to the contrary, combining one’s passion for seeing the world with the passion one has for one’s own kids can actually be done. (And it sure beats living with the regret and resentment of having put off one’s own dreams to faithfully toe the modern parent’s sacrificial line.)

About Me

Married to a wild New Zealander and the mother of two divine girls, I am an Elora, Ontario-based travel junkie who unfortunately needs to get a real job from time to time - generally as an editor, columnist and freelance travel writer. Born and raised in Kitchener, Ontario, I got my B.A. from the University of Western Ontario in 1987 and have worked ever since to keep feeding my travel bug. It’s taken me to India and Nepal, Southeast Asia, Egypt and Israel, Europe and the UK, the Caribbean, Australia and New Zealand, and South Africa and Lesotho. Next stop Central America: two months of backpacking heaven in Panama, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua with the hubby and kids. Bring it on!